Quest Tick Tock, Tick Tock (Matthew)

[Mirage]

At hearing of his sister's death the boy's breath caught, and his mouth opened slightly in disbelief. He simply shook his head, dumbfounded, shocked to silence as he looked away. He didn't know what to think, wasn't sure what to feel. It was all so... It was all just too much.

The boy's face morphed from shock, to confusion, and then finally shifted to anger, and then fury the more Matthew talked until he was glaring at the Harlot, tears already starting to fall from his eyes as he choked a whisper between gritted teeth, "You... You didn't protect her. You promised." He growled under his breath, his aura becoming agitated as crimson red flooded it. Black strung about its fringes, the black of hatred, of ill thoughts and terrible hunger for violence. He was already turning to face Matthew, his hands balling into fists as he bared his teeth. it was hard to tell from the distance, but it looked like they were filing to points...

"Here he is..." the familiar whispered voice came from behind Matthew. The two members of the Silence appeared as if from no where, and the boy's eyes became locked on them instead. His eyes grew fiercer then, his hands clenched so tight that blood began to drip from his knuckles. He glanced sideways at Matthew and then rummaged in his trouser pockets, taking out a pouch and dropping it on the port behind him, "Fine. Help me take me revenge, and it is all yours. Even if I die."

The grinning nuit chuckled and looked at Matthew, "Our offer still stands. Kill the boy and we will pay you twice what you would have returned to you. This is none of your business, it has nothing to do with your right? Why should you care what happens to this boy? I shall even offer you the chance to simply walk away now and forget all of this ever happened." he turned to the side as extended his arm as if to offer Matthew a way out, but he laughed in the coughing weave as he had before, "Leave now and you keep your life, kill the boy and you will receive a significant reward. Fight with the boy and you will die within the chime. Be a smart man Matthew. We know what you are, and what your kind really care about. You are not the type to risk your life for someone you don't even know." His partner laughed at this, eyes mocking at Matthew as he motioned at Matthew like one might do to shoo away a stray dog.

The boy's eyes were on Matthew. There was anger there, but also hurt, sadness, despair and terrible grief. Matthew was all that he had. It was all in Matthew's hands now.

[Matthew]

Matthew simply couldn't get any more unsympathetic than he currently was. His sister was dead too and he hadn't pitched a complete and total fit. He forced himself to breath through his nose, closing his lips and holding in words that wanted to spill out. He hadn't promised a thing. The boy was still angry though and it looked like his wrath was about to collapse upon Matthew. He braced himself, knowing that there were barely any options available to him that would allow him to dodge whatever it was that the boy was about to use. He couldn't tell if the aura was flooding with magic or emotion. They were equally foreign to them. It tasted metallic and sounded like the marching of a million ants. He sniffed for a moment, processing the aura in a completely different way. It smelled like wet dog. He briefly searched his memory to see if he had any recollection of Kelvic aura. He didn't have much time to focus though, the whispers of the Silence poking through his thoughts to draw his attention. He slowly turned, tilting his head and taking a few steps back to get himself closer to the boy and further from the Silence. Their eerie habit of appearing out of nowhere made him wonder, his eyes scanning their auras just to make sure they were still actually here and not some form of Hypnosis hallucination. Meanwhile, his mind ran through the possibilities. He could always approach them and pretend to still be on their side. No, he didn't want to get close. He had led them to their prey. He was disposable now. Their words reached him as if from a distance and he blinked once, then twice, raising an eyebrow. He let his Auristics fade, redirecting the Djed elsewhere. It went in through his voice to lace in with his words, and after the words had faded he would still channel it through his eyes. "I'm not risking my life for someone I don't know. I'm being smart. You've proved your readiness to kill me on a whim. Simple calculation proves that I have a better chance of survival if I side with the boy. After all, you couldn't catch him without my help. Are you scared of the boy? Funny how the Silence is just so petching talkative." The last word was a snarl, the anger blossoming inside of him. He had grown in power in the recent seasons. Magic scared him, but right now? It was one of the only options he had. He lashed out, striking with a hallucination for the both of them. It was odd how he had used to only be able to effect a single person. Now? He felt like three targets was childs play. The boy was the easiest, given a brief Flash of exactly how Matthew had seen his sister die. It was particularly focused on the Silence and their laughter, the amusement, the smiles. If the boy was to be a threat, he needed to be a fueled threat. The Silence? They were given sex. Gods willing, the flashes would strike. Heaving bodies of bare women and men would briefly flood their sight for each of the two flashes. There would be sweat and thrusting, perhaps the smell of all those fluids. There would be a recollection of sounds as well, perhaps moans and yells of pleasure. Certainly a unique use. "Get them, boy." His voice was steel, hoping the child could capitalize on any hesitation that the Silence suffered. The tactic was probably unique to the Harlot. Hopefully that would work well for him. How would the Silence respond to something that was so very alive? He had no doubt that it wouldn't trick them, but he didn't need it to trick them. He just needed them to be caught off guard. He threw one flash and then another, layering them upon each other. He made sure to keep careful track of his djed, needing to save it. He wouldn't be able to do much more. He would have to be smart. As soon as the flashes had been sent he began to swirl his next spell, readying a Hallucination. This would take more effort, and there would be only one.

[Mirage]

e
If the Silence could frown it surely would have at this point, but his fleshless face was fixed in a permanent skeletal grin, "Don't be a fool--" but his sentence was cut off as he and his companion stumbled back a step, suddenly overwhelmed by the visions that flashed in their minds. The boy needed no further urging from Matthew, and as the order was given he was already bounding forward.

The boy grew, his muscles expanding and ripping his clothing with their bulk. His teeth elongated further, hooking over his jaw as his eyes turned golden. With only two bounds the boy cleared the distance between him and the Silence, and by that time he was a hulking mass of muscle and skin which had changed to a dull gray in tone. He towered over both of the Silence members, and as he closed the gap he reached forwared with one clawed hand, grasping the voices member by the skull and crushing it as easily as one might crush an egg. He slung the limp body then, using it as a club to swat the other away before ripping the body in hand in half and tossing both halves aside to turn on the last one.

The remaining nuit landed heavily on the ground just a couple yards from Matthew's feet. The landing crushed one of his arms and twisted his neck in an awkward angle so despite the fact that he was facing the boy his eyes were looking up at Matthew.

"You... Have doomed everyone." These were the last words that escaped past the creatures bony teeth before his was grabbed by his shins and slung against a far wall. The sounds of bones shattering were heard, but it was not done just yet. Stalking over to the new still figure the boy, no longer a boy, reached down and grasped the Silence's head, and with a twist he tore it free and held it up like a trophy. Then he jumped, an absurd jump that brought him all the way to the top of the building he threw the Silence member against. He sent one last look in Matthew's direction before darting away.

Time felt... slower to Matthew. The entire time the Harlot watched it all looked as if it was going in slow motion, frame by frame. Now that it ended there was a sense of peace, like the end of a battle or raging storm.

"I see you have made your choice..." The soft voice came from behind Matthew. There, on the dock with the drapes of her cloak flowing eldessly into the distance, stood Tanora. She did not smile as she met his eyes, but simply looked past him in the direction the boy ran, "I wonder if you are ready to accept responsibility for your actions today."
e

[Matthew]

The concentration that was required for graduating from individual flashes to a single hallucination was immediately broken as the boy morphed. Matthew blinked, a sliver of surprise shuddering through his veins as the child turned into something very different. For a brief moment all strategic thoughts fled from his mind and he was simply left with wonder. What exactly was he looking at? How could the boy leap so far? Was it a form of magic or was he a different sort of life form all together? Djed faded from his veins as he stopped tugging on it, turned into a mere spectator. For a moment, fear mixed with the surprise. He looked at it from the outside, staring at it and analyzing it carefully. What was he afraid of? What was there not to be afraid of? Fear was a normal thing for someone to fear if their survival was in question and his certainly was. The Silence would likely be able to kill him, his moment of surprise attack being the only advantage he had. The boy beast could easily rip him in two. Thankfully, the boy beast acted as Matthew had somewhat predicted. Oddly enough, it was all so very easy to watch. He had the idea that the boy beast was moving faster than he could really understand, but at the same time he was easily able to watch every single motion. There were crunches and tearing sounds, dead flesh seperating from old bone. He stared down at the Nuit that landed in front of him, arching an eyebrow in mild curiosity. He had doomed everyone, had he? His attention was redirected at the boy as the beast darted away. He watched it go, head tilting. He didn't wave or say a word, just made a brief moment of eye contact. Then the beast was gone. Taking a breath, he began to turn. He was still alive, that was all that really mattered. But still, he had mizas to collect. And then there was the case of the dagger. And then there was Tanroa. Oddly, it didn't surprise him. An experience with her was beyond normal sensation. Instead, all the memories came rushing back. This was why everything had felt familiar for the briefest of moments. It was because he had seen some of it before, had he not? He watched her closely, slowly and gracefully moving forward to collect the bag of coin that the boy beast had left for him. "Isn't there a case to be made for a hapless victim of circumstance? My actions were made in the best interest of personal survival. You seem displeased. Will you tell me who and what that boy is?" He stared at her a moment before glancing off in the direction she was staring at, not so sure what he was even looking for. A surreal feeling was once again assaulting him. He blinked a few times and then glanced back, a thought suddenly occurring. "Thank you for the revision to my business card, by the way. I have received compliments because of your work."

[Mirage]

"I trust the revisions were useful to you?" She responded idly, as if they were making small talk. She came up to stand beside Matthew, now looking toward him, "Your actions here today have warranted neither my displeasure nor my approval. After all I did give the choice to you, and your actions may have been justified no matter what choices you made. But come, walk with me and we shall speak of what is to come."

She began walking from the docks, taking some side alley and moving at a leisurely pace, "That boy, if he may be called a boy now, has a very interesting future before him. He is destined in the years to come to spread such destruction that the very foundations of Mizahar shall be shaken and all the world shall tremble as it has not since the Valeterrian. He will be the cause of countless deaths, both in deserving adults and completely innocent children. He will be known as the Beast, The Rampaging Horde, Rhysol's Hand, and many other such titles. Because you saved his life, all of his actions which are to come are now your responsibility. Every sin he commits is upon your shoulders, every evil he does is you're condemnation." They walked down the narrow street, coming upon another long alley that opened up to the docks once more. Tanroa paused here, looking at Matthew, "Perhaps you wonder 'could I have done differently'? In truth yes you could. Had you simply accepted the Silence's offer you would have freed yourself from this burden, and been several hundred gold miza's richer. Had you not followed the children in the first place after your purse was stolen they would have escaped the Silence, boarded a vessel and be on their way to the Mura isle as we speak. Had you followed, and not looked through the crack in the alleyway the brother would have died instead of the sister, but in this line of the future the Sister would have become an even greater terror upon the land than her brother. Had you saved her on the rooftops the girl would have taken an apprenticeship and become a courtesan in Sunberth, adapted a natural talent in medicine and one day become the champion of Rak'keli. If we look even farther back if you had gotten out of bed this morning on the other side you would have taken a different route and never met the children in the first place. Of course if you had you would have died today at the hands of a mugger who has been following you since your arrival in Sunberth, and now because I have told you about him you will either avoid meeting him entirely or you will have a pleasant drink with your would be killer and perhaps for a mutual friendship of sorts. Oh, but one moment," She looked down the other alleyway at two figures that stood on the other end. She motioned for Matthew to wave, as he had done in the previous vision, before continuing on as if nothing had happened, "But all of these other possibilities are irrelevant, and they stretch on and on endlessly for the possibilities of your choices are as varied and numerous as the stars in the sky, if not more so. What lies before you now is a choice. The true choice of which I spoke of in our first meeting."

She folded her hands at her waist, her gaze intent, "The boy is your responsibility now, and he WILL become the greatest threat that Mizahar has seen in centuries... Unless he has a guiding hand that will help him find another path. Matthew, will you accept your role and be that guide to the boy to prevent this future to come, or will you turn your back on him now and let this future become the inevitable outcome. As always, the choice is yours."

[Matthew]

"They were. I do not understand why they were, but they were." Small talk was a comfort zone. Almost all idle conversation was small talk to him, and he had become so very good at it (or at least he thought he had) that it seemed like second nature by this point. Should that worry him, that the act was becoming so very easy? He followed her slowly, walking as if they were taking some sort of casual stroll. The surreal feeling continued to plague him, somehow tricking him into thinking that this was all so very natural even if he was extremely aware that it wasn't. The Harlot listened to her words carefully as she spoke, nodding in understanding at the various events that could have occurred. He had no doubt that it was exactly as she said it was. Even the littlest of things could have the greatest of impacts. Funny how he had done something that most would consider good, and now those things could lead to something bad. Well, then again, perhaps instructing the boy to take revenge wasn't a good thing? Wasn't it the right thing, though? He felt a dull throb begin to plague the back of his skull and he sighed, dispersing the thoughts before they began to weigh too heavily. Morality was such a fickle thing. Good and Right could probably mean two different things and two of the exact same thing. He had no idea at this point. He knew it was probably bad that he was still okay with the way things turned out. Taking the offer of the Silence would have irritated him. It probably wasn't logical that avoiding irritation for the time being was a good alternative to avoiding extreme danger in the years to come. Then again, there was no way he could have known. What point was there in wishing he could have changed his mind? Matthew waved before he really understood why he was waving, then blinked as he realized what had just happened. That had been so very casual of her. The march of emotion after emotion was starting to make the dull throb come back, and now he had stopped understanding what the emotions were. Was he angry with her? Impressed? Frustrated? He really had no clue. Somehow though, this all felt very nostalgic almost. Ah, a choice. Here he was. In the end, all the choices would lead to another choice. That was needlessly redundant. Why would the boy become the one of the greatest threats? Matthew couldn't find a logical sequence that would lead to that scenario, but then again he didn't have all the facts. He was half-tempted to ask why Tanroa didn't just change things to the desired outcome, but he instantly felt that she didn't even have a desired outcome. Plus, such a thing would take away the whole point of the idealistic free will that he so readily believed that he had. In the years to come, she had said. That meant there wasn't that much time. The boy was now basically a timer on his own life, if allowed to run wild. He was a cap, a limit, a ceiling that Matthew would eventually reach and then not be able to pass. So the option of letting him run unchecked wasn't actually an option. There was no other option, not really. He rose a hand to his brow, rubbing it in slow circles. The dull ache was now throbbing in a steady beat. He grimaced, showing teeth, then glanced at her. Was there a silver lining? Perhaps he could consider this just another mental challenge. Healing a heartbroken boy? He realized he still had the dagger and he glanced absentmindedly at it. The idea of being gutted with it seemed more merciful then dealing with a child. He was stalling. The Harlot spoke, voice soft and polite. "I will find him and move him from that path. Do you know where he is going, or is that for me to find out?"

[Mirage]

For the first time the Goddess smiled a true smile, one that spread her lips wide as she looked at Matthew with approval as she motioned for him to come closer. She would place her hands over the Harlot's eyes, and the man would hear a rushing sound, like a thousand waterfalls as his body felt as though it was submerging deep into coursing river. It was an odd sensation, to feel wet yet still somehow completely dry, and he could still feel himself standing as he had before. He would feel the Goddess lean down before him, her lips coming close to his ear as she whispered something... It was a sound, yet it was unlike anything he had ever heard before. It was a word that was filled with such meaning that the mere mortal's mind could not grasp its depths.

The sensations slowly began to fade, but still his body held a strange inner warmth. Tanroa leaned back once more, removing her hands from the man's eyes, but as the world came into focus the woman would be no where in sight.

"You know where he will be. He is where you would be yourself."

Time reassert itself. The world once more began to spin, and Matthew would find himself standing in the alley alone, wind preshing his cheek, exactly the same yet... different. More than a simple feeling, his body and his mind and spirit. Something was changed, added. The only outward sign, however, was a halo of blue slightly deeper than his natural eye color ringing his iris. In the dim light it glowed ever so slightly, but not so much to make it starkly obvious.

*****

The boy would be on the rooftop, bent over the body of his sister, her head returned to her body and her eyes closed, somehow peaceful despite her disfigurement. He was just a boy now, small and weak like he had been before. His clothes were torn and only his bottoms clung desperately to cover up his nudity. He rocked slowly back and forth, humming softly to himself as he brushed the girl's hair, his eyes hard and distant. He despaired, he was anger and rage. He felt hate, and a sadness that blotted out the rest of the world. He would not even notice Matthew's approach until he made his presence known.

[Matthew]

Now it looked like he had pleased her, but in a quick review of his actions and words he couldn't actually figure out what it was he had done to please her. He studied the Goddess for a moment, analyzing her unfathomable features as if he could decipher some sort of answer from them. She motioned for him to come closer and he did it almost instinctively, obediently following her orders just to keep her placant. Then she reached out for him and he blinked in a brief moment of curiosity, not entirely aware of what was going on until she assaulted him with sensation. One of his knees shivered as it threatened to give out, everything just a bit too much for him to experience. It wasn't that the sensations were too much, no. He had been incorrect in thinking that. They were just sensations that his body fought against. Being submerged meant he had to go up for air but he was already on both feet and completely dry. Wet and dry at the same time. To a logical construct, this was something that could not be understood and in turn sent him reeling. Then there was sound, rushing and roaring, then a word that once again did not hold to his sacred rules.

Then she was gone, leaving him with a riddle and a sense of change. He glanced down at himself, not noticing anything out of the ordinary. A quick mental check of his body also sensed that nothing had been altered, yet there was a difference.

He supposed that he would have to figure it out later. For now there was a riddle, and the riddle would help him find the key that would unlock this new shackle from his foot.

*****

He had mourned. Well, sort of. He hadn't thought it was mourning but in retrospect he had gone back to where he had last seen her alive just so he could remember her for a few moments. It had seemed to be the respectful thing to do. She had died to give him life, in a way. The boy probably didn't process his own emotion the way that Matthew did, but the Harlot didn't think it was an incredible leap in logic to say that he would still go to see his sister one last time.

When he approached, there was no fear. What was the purpose in it? He had seen what the child could become. There was no reason to fear, for fear gave him no control. There was almost no control to be had in this situation. He had his magic, but after using more than he normally did in such a timespan he was wary about using it again. No, it would just be him and the child now. Him and his burden, apparently. If allowed, he would stand in silence for a moment. He had no idea what to say. He didn't even know where to start. He was no good in these sort of situations. Was he supposed to comfort him or tell him to get over it? No, he had to remember that he was different. He had to step back, look at it like a puzzle and then take it from there.

"I went back too, when my sister died. To visit. I wasn't able to keep her from dying. So I thought it would be respectful to visit. If you'd like, I could help you bury her somewhere that you could return to. Outside of the city, perhaps." His voice was that calm and soft tone, polite and slow. He was a stark contrast to everything the boy felt, really. He paused a moment, still struggling with what to say.

"You can come with me. I'm leaving Sunberth soon. There are a lot of thoughts in my head that I don't understand. I am going to find a Doctor who could help me." That was an interesting offer. He hadn't thought that one through, but there it was. There was likely an alternate solution that didn't involve a buddy.

[Mirage]

The boy sniffed and wiped his nose on his arm, tears now beginning to flow freely as he looked back at Matthew, "Dorian... My name is Dorian, and m-my Sister..." He choked on a sob and looked away again, closing his eyes against the rushing emotions that made his body tremble, "Ilana didn't d-deserve this... She was always so gentle, so loving. It should have been me..."

He fell silent once again, his mind seeming to process everything, but in time he slowly calmed down once more and he looked back up at Matthew, "I want to bury her outside of the cith where she wont be disturbed... a-and I will go with you. I have no where else to go now right...?"

The boy would follow Matthew, and he would carry his sister with him where they took her to be buried. For the rest of the night he would not speak much, for he was in deep morning that stilled his tongue and forced him to harden his heart. The only thing he had to hold onto was Matthew, this man who didn't even know him, who could not even imagine what he was suffering. He was an anchor in his calm demeanor, one that Dorian needed desperately. The boy did not know what he was destined to become, or what he was fated to do. He was just a boy. A boy who was lost and alone. A boy who lost the only family he had ever known... but maybe he gained a new family. Only time would tell, and somehow that amused Tanroa.

OOCOK! I think this wraps it all up. Feel free to post one last time and I will post your grade

[Mirage]

Matthew

 

Skills Improved

• Observation - +3
• Hypnotism - +3
• Auristics - +2
• Tactics - +1
• Persuasion - +2
• Medicine - +2

 

Lores Gained

• Dorian: A beast within
• The Silence: Ruthless Assassins from Sahova
• Marked by Tanroa, Goddess of Time
• Lore of Self: The lives of thousands lie upon your shoulders

 

Rewards

-Dagger of Woe: The dagger's length is nearly two palm lengths, and from its tip down to its pommel it is pure black. Its edge is slightly curved, and there are faint designs etched along the blade that may have been magical in nature, but there are no obvious signs if they are. The dagger has a very nasty aura, and stinks of rotting flesh and sickness if observed with Auristics. It also has a strange, twisting darkness like black vines that wrap its edges and encircle the pommel only visible to those of competent auristics or higher. If someone is merely cut by this blade they are infected by the curse held within its blade. It causes pnemonia like symptoms as the darkness spreads, and the wound it causes will not clot and blood will slowly trickle forth. Stopping the blood flow slows the progress of the curse, but it requires a person marked with Healing to cure it completely. Once the dark vines reach the heart the person simply dies as their heart is stilled, and so wounds that are closer to the heart are more deadly than those farther from it. The time it takes for the curse to kill varies based on how deep the wound was, and how close to the heart it was. A shallow wound along the shin would take several days to finally kill, this time lengthened to a couple of weeks if the wound is constantly tended and the bleeding stanched. A deep stab in the chest could kill in seconds if the wound is directly over the heart.

The effects of the dagger will slowly fade unless used periodically on another person. If the dagger does not see use for a full year the curse will completely vanish and it will be just an ordinary dagger.

OOCI will be sending you the NPC write up via PM

 

Character Notes

Great job! If you have any questions, comments, or concerns, please feel free to PM me! Now the big question is, what will Matthew do next